Jerez - Horses on the Move II

      . . . . I could not wrap my mind around the fact that we walked to this place from our hotel in Jerez, that this was in the middle of the 'new' city of Jerez.

El V took some fotos that day of me taking fotos and sent them off in the real time experience smart fones allows us to do, "Because you looked so happy," and those he sent them to said the same. I was really enjoying myself. As well as being breathless seeing in real time the horses and riders executing their moves with such incredible rhythm and precision -- that nano second pause between one hoof hitting the ground as another was lifted -- I swooned.  By the way, the relationship in this part of the world between these horses, what they are bred and trained to do, is so close with the omnipresence of Flamenco.

Our friend in Jerez, who has a foundation that promotes Flamenco between Jerez and New Orleans, dances Flamenco and runs festivals -- told me there are times when some of her people are around these horses, they have fallen into the Flamenco clapping, as people do in Spain all the time, particularly the closer one gets to Sevilla and Granada. The horses, hearing the clapping, riderless as they are, begin moving with the rhythms. Flamenco, dressage, bullfighting -- they are related, as are the fans and the tipica Flamenco fringed shawl. See how the movements of the dancers, with and without shawls and fans, as well as their postures are mirrored by matadors and their capes.

I Was Particularly Struck By This Team.  Stables at the top of the Exercise - Warm Up - Practice Ring.

Stables.  One of the horses in a loose box kicked up one heck of a fuss for quite some time, kicking and kicking.  S/he would push head out the door, and then go back inside and kick some more.

Expecting To Make Points!

For No Reason This Rider, With Whom I Was Already Falling Love, Stopped to Chat With Me. So We Did, In Spanish and In English.  It's Embarrassing How Many Spanish Speak English, While We Don't Speak Spanish -- Particularly as This Is A Nation Also of Spanish Heritage.

This Rider Had Sparklies On the Front of Her Helmet; Her Horse Had Matching Sparklies On Bridle's Head And Nose Bands.

Next up will be Cádiz, the oldest continually inhabited city in Europe.